Hulver's site || Comments || "Dust & Pollen... Sniffle"

Similarly by sasquatchan (2.00 / 0) #1 Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 12:05:54 PM EST

dust storms from Africa are hinted at having some role in regulating hurricane formation. High altitude tests have shown spores, molds, fungi, viruses and bacteria ride those dust storms across the Atlantic, remaining viable and can infect those in the Americas.

Anyway, sounds like you've seen the Japanese equivalent of "Get off my lawn, damn kids!" or "No Skateboards allowed" etc.

Lack of tolerance for sound in Japan by lylehsaxon (3.00 / 2) #2 Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 01:45:50 PM EST

But there's something strange here about a growing intolerance for sound! A friend's son in a high school band has to practice in the school's basement (which is really hot in the summer) with all the windows shut because there have been complaints from people living near the school that they can (gasp!) hear the sound of classical music! OMG! The horror of it! Sound! Personally, I think the school should tell them to either move or go straight to he*l!

The company I'm working at - some TV bimbo moved next door and complained that people in the company building could see her house - so the company frosted over all the windows on two sides of the building!! Bloody incredible!! They should have told Ms. TV Bimbo to jump in a lake with heavy shoes on!

Something is out of whack and beyond the realm of reason in these situations. 1,000 people locked into a sightless building because some bloody idiot doesn't understand how to shut her own curtains. I mean, come on! It's weird! It's wrong!

Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
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: So...Question: by MartiniPhilosopher (2.00 / 0) #3 Thu Mar 27, 2008 at 02:17:08 PM EST

How does this fit in with the "fencepost" mentality you mentioned a while back? It would seem to me that those people lacking this common (sense of) civility would stick out because of that and get smacked back into place. I can understand, to a certain extent, the idea of trying to keep the peace and civility by asking for a certain amount of compromise, i.e., closing a park after ten at night or the like but it sounds like the authorities in this case are simply capitulating instead of seeking a compromise.
It makes me think that there might be something else going on culturally here. Are those that are complaining in some way culturally different or special to be able to get a highschool of all things to silence itself.
Whenever I hear one of those aforementioned douche bags pontificate about how dangerous [...] videogames are I get a little stabby. --Wil Wheaton.
[ Parent ]
: Might is Right, etc.... by lylehsaxon (2.00 / 0) #6 Fri Mar 28, 2008 at 10:07:23 AM EST

A couple of things: "Might is Right" Powerful people are another category - they get to do whatever they want and are not subject to the norms for the rest of us.
"PL" as in "Product Liability". Since Japan passed product liability laws, people have gotten stupid about a lot of things they think are related, but aren't. Western influence here is often a disaster. Take the term "sexual harassment" - people here confuse "sexual discrimination" for "sexual harassment. Certainly both are areas that needed to be improved, but a comprehension of the difference between them would be good! One is one thing and one is another - they're not identical!
And then just the usual thing that people are people, nothing is totally static, and things are always changing. The conformity thing is actually quite a bit less compelling than it once was, still it's a real factor....
Lyle

The shortest way home is the longest way 'round....
[ Parent ]